Engine 557 Restoration Company
Progress Report September 2024

The Alaska Railroad has already started the Winter Aurora schedule and I nearly missed the first train on Saturday September 28 as it passed the 557 Engine House. Passenger options are down to one Round Trip per week with the Aurora. Read the schedule carefully and you will find there are several specials around the holidays and spring break. Many weeks are sell outs so book early and give us a wave when you pass the 557 crew at MP 158.9 in Wasilla.

Just received a $3,000 grant check # 37907 in name of Karl Diekevers of Sutton, Alaska. He works for Hilcorp. Hilcorp has established a fund of $2500 per employee that is managed through the Alaska Community Foundation (ACF). Employees select from a list of qualified Not for Profit organizations, those they wish to support. We thank Karl Diekevers for designating Engine 557 Restoration Company to receive this generous gift.

Read all about the Hilcorp giving program at. If you are a Hilcorp employee or have a neighbor who is, please alert them to the fact that Engine 557 Restoration Company is a qualified recipient of Hilcorp's philanthropic outreach in Alaska.

September 4th we received our first delivery of fuel from Republic Services two 300 gallon totes were off loaded and gravity transferred to the tender fuel bunker. This should be enough to conduct our first fire test. The generous donation of the 80/20 used oil to diesel fuel is truly a life giving transfusion as Engine 557 advances to eventual operation on the Alaska Railroad.

 

What other people say:

Thank you, David Kmetz, for the $125.00 Pay Pal donation just made to Engine 557 Restoration Company.  We appreciate you reaching out across the continent from North Bersick, Maine, to support 557 here in Wasilla.  David responded, “Patrick, you’re very welcome.  I hope the donation helps keep your team moving towards completing the restoration.  There’s a lot of restoration efforts going on out there, but this one stands out to me.  I can’t imagine the dedication the team has for the project. I’d love to see the engine in person……..I wish you and the team continued success.”

Kirk and Linda Hastain of Anchorage “Dear 557 Volunteers, Enclosed please find our donation for this incredible engine restoration. You are so close to seeing it run on the rails again. Kirk and I have visited several times in the past. Your newsletter keeps us up to date. Our congratulations to each person.” This was punctuated with another very nice contribution of $1,000. Thank you to the Hastains.  

From the Oregon Coast Scenic Railway, Tim Parks offered some training for firing oil and commented, “Looking forward to seeing the progress on 557, and excited for the first fire. Wish I could be there to see it, that's going to be a Monumental event.” 

Dick Morris, 557 Secretary maintains Engine 557 Facebook and makes almost daily updates in that medium. Check it out and take the time to read the comments from around the country and the world. Following are some examples.

From our engine 557 Facebook page: Dain Allison “It seems like everything is really coming together! You guys are killing it! Can't wait to see the final result.”

Don Lotz “Kudos to you guys. You can't just go to the local hardware store for this stuff. When you're finished you'll have a brand new locomotive, maybe better than the original!”

Grady Smith “Better for sure!”

Doug Vensel “Agreed. If nothing else, newer engineering and machining will enhance the operation of the engine.”

Ryan Strabbing “Thank You Republic Services!” This in reference to the major donation of fuel by Republic Services for 557.

Allen Phillips “That blend will work well, it is light enough to permit raising steam with compressed air for atomizing steam, and blower or fan for draft. It should provide enough heat for any reasonable load. Very good, Republic! Thank you very much!”

 

September visitors:

David Dobbs Joined White Pass and Yukon in 1995 and retired as Conductor in May 2019. He spent many trips as conductor behind narrow gauge steamer #73. David visited 557 Sept 2, 2024 and was very complimentary of the work done by the 557 Mechanical Department. He is a big booster of Alaska history and looks forward to 557 operating and bringing history to life.

Arnie Stoltenberg, his son, and a friend did a short tour of 557. A long time supporter and member of the the Antique Power Club of Alaska, Arnie checks on the progress of 557. We have discussed the possibility of having a joint show of 1940 vintage military vehicles, Ag equipment and automobiles when 557 is in steam. If you like the possibilities let’s put together a plan!

Laverne Buller works in his home shop supporting 557 with special projects. From making new rings for our cylinder cocks or repairing air pressure relief valves, he welcomes the challenge of each job. I recently presented him with a drawing of the blower ring which surrounds the blast pipe nozzle in the smoke box and sends a torrent of air up the stack to induce draft. Then I gave him the challenge to make it from schedule 160 Stainless 1 inch pipe. A few days later Laverne presented a solution when I followed up in the shop. Comparing the new and old blower rings, we do have a winner. When finally installed the new blower ring will be suspended just flush with the top of the nozzle. The 3/16” air holes are inclined 10 degrees toward the center per the drawing.

Over the past few months, reference has been made here to fixtures and tooling required to recondition the joints and make some new ductile iron gaskets that connect the steam delivery branch pipes. At last they have been installed with grade 8 bolts, heavy nuts and jamb nuts holding the flange faces against the ductile iron gaskets. The connection from the superheater header is complete down to the cylinder block. They are at the ready for the coming first steam test.

Additional work is being done primarily on the Right or Engineers side of the boiler to install all new piping for several systems. Gene Augustine stands on the running board next to the sand dome looking back to the cab. He is leaning on the hand rail which doubles as the conduit for electrical wiring going to the front end. Next are seen the sand pipes and the steam delivery for the air pump which will be on the outside of the boiler jacket. The sand box and hand rail stanchions are mounted on standoffs that will support the jacket. All the other piping will lay next to the boiler under the insulation to keep it warm. looking back toward the cab this over and under the jacket arrangement is more obvious. The duct tape represents the approximate location of the future jacket. The large line is the Steam delivery for the air pump. In the process we need to avoid blocking access to the wash out plugs, (i.e.) the black circles between the flexible stay bolt caps.

Paul Dalleska and Ken Elmore realigned the last of the sander pipes with a few bends to make sure they clear the drivers and the future jacket.

The manifold valve handles are inside the cab with extension rods forward to the Manifold Steam Valve universal connections. From right to left are Right Injector, Front Dynamo, Rear Dynamo, Steam to Air Pump, and Turret shut off valve. On the far side are valves to Firing Manifold/Blower, Atomizer, and the left injector.

It all comes together one pipe at a time. Smaller lines hugging the boiler for warmth are air for Sander Valves, Power Reverse, and Steam heater lines for two mechanical lubricators and journal lubricator lines. All the steam lines exposed outside the boiler wrapper will be insulated with two wraps of Fiberglass tape secured with stainless tie wire as seen on the Steam delivery pipe from the starter valve to the injector.

Preparing for the first fire, the fire pan was installed and prepared to receive fire brick. The fire box is a closed space requiring a plan for evacuation for anyone who works inside. When 557 was built 80 years ago the average railroader was considerably smaller around the waist than today and could easily negotiate the firebox door. We have a few “Boiler rats” who still can gain access, but who is on call to go in after them if a problem develops? The old draft box was bolted up through the fire pan floor and fire brick was laid right up to it making it a permanent part of the fire pan. To provide a second access point into the firebox during maintenance, a 3.5 inch high 1/8” plate dike now retains the fire brick.. The draft box can now be removed from the bottom of the fire box during maintenance. Easy ladder access in and out.

The Westinghouse Cross Compound Air Pump (Compressor if you insist) was installed on the front pilot deck after arrival in Alaska. Very likely this was a hand me down from one of the 200 or 600 class moguls from the Panama Canal that were retiring about the same time. When off loaded in Whittier they still had the small single cylinder smoke box mounted compressor specified for the USATC S-160 locomotive destined for “over there”. In Europe the standard was vacuum brakes so the S-160 were built with Vacuum for the train line and Air brakes for just the loco and tender.

Thanks to a WWII veteran, Ken Reuben we have this early photo of 557 in Whittier as evidence the air pump was mounted in the middle of the pilot. It was later relocated to the left side possibly to offset some of the weight of the power reverse that was added to the right side of the locomotive.

The one inch mounting plate is bolted to the front pilot. Two pilot braces were added as insurance on the front pilot when Gary Feaster of Greatland Welding repaired a crack found in the left frame rail. The damage was traced back to a 1948 head on with a speeder and a string of work trailers at Nenana. This addition required we move the Air Pump out about 4 inches to clear the pilot brace. The mount and spacers were all machined to avoid any torsional stress on the compressor casting. It sure looks good all mounted up.

Jeff DeBroeck and Tom Walker are making the final adjustments in Super Heater assemblies, by making sure they are square and plumb to mate properly with the superheater header. In the smoke box Jeff Loffert is continuing the job of lapping the tapered holes in the header to receive the finished assemblies. Then the chore of installing the assemblies in the smoke box can be completed.

General reference is often made to our Wall of Honor, recognizing our In-Kind Business donors. Going forward we will feature one of these generous supporters each month.

On August 18, 2012 we held a community meet and greet to introduce Engine 557 to Wasilla. We handed each of 80 guests a list of the items needed to stand up a shop in an empty building that 557 called home. Gary Feaster of Greatland Welding and Machine stepped up and asked that I call him on Monday morning. I did so, and in short order my pickup was loaded with a Lincoln wire feed welder and supplies, Cincinnati Drill Press, odd hardware and an invite to come back and pick up a 4,000 pound Acorn table. Gary described this as an indefinite loan twelve years ago. We purchased all our welding supplies from Gary until he just stopped billing us. He volunteered welders to do safety welds on staybolts. They fabricated tools, and Gary personally welded a crack in the 557 pilot deck frame. Counter man, John Marley and owner Gary Feaster are always ready to consult. Since day one, Gary and Greatland Welding have been generous boosters of 557 volunteers on the march to steaming again. Let us all give thanks!

Check out our new donation QR code below. Use any QR scanning application or your smartphone camera's default photo mode and point it at a QR code. Scanning this QR code will automatically take you to 557's donation page.

Patrick Durand
President Engine 557 Restoration Company

 

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